


A Good Sister

by nicolai



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bad Parenting, Child Abuse, Childhood, Favoritism, Other, Playing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-21 08:12:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6044470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicolai/pseuds/nicolai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When her bragging fails to start a fight, Azula decides to play a game to distract her crying brother.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Good Sister

“Big brother! Can you do this yet?” Azula asked as she saw Zuko walking through the courtyard; she demonstrated the latest firebending move she’d learned. 

Zuko only had time for his face to turn red and to look ashamed and angry before she continued her taunting. 

“Oh, that’s right! Of course you haven’t! I just learned this morning and you are so so far behind me, aren’t you?” She laughed sadistically, skipping over to him. 

Zuko clenched his fists and glared at the ground, “Leave me alone, Azula,” he muttered in response. 

“What? You don’t like being so far behind? Maybe you should train more. Of course, it might not help. Father says it doesn’t matter how hard you work, you’ll always be a failure,” she giggled, though her mirth didn’t reach her eyes, they were hard and cold, “But if you don’t try, then you’ll get even farther behind and he’ll be even more disappointed in you!”

Her words stung him deeply, all the more so because he knew they were true. His father made no secret of how ashamed he was of Zuko. And he’d never be as good as she was. Maybe if his father couldn’t make the comparison, he wouldn’t be so disappointed, but Azula was always there to remind him how his children should be. Zuko gritted his teeth and turned away. 

“Brother?” Azula frowned- this wasn’t the response she’d wanted, he was supposed to be mad, not ignore her, “Brother? Come on, it’s not your fault that I’m the best,” she forced another laugh, reaching to grab his sleeve, “Don’t walk away.”

Zuko jerked his arm away, stomping off towards his room. He didn’t want to be insulted, but he couldn’t argue and defend himself; she was right about everything. She was the best. 

“Hey! Come back!” Azula ran around to get in his way, “Zuko, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you yelling? Or firebending at me?”

Zuko stopped, looking down at his sister. He didn’t want to cry in front of her, so he had to get out of here soon. But he knew she wouldn’t let him go without an explanation of why he was acting different today. 

“Father watched my training this morning, Azula. He’s really mad at me and I don’t want to hear about it any more,” he couldn’t keep his emotions under control, his voice got louder and he felt a knot rising in his throat, “I know I’m awful, okay? You don’t need to tell me too! He already did!” he shouted, angrily brushing away the tears before they could fall. 

Azula needed a few seconds to process what he’d said. She’d wanted a fun fight, not an upset, crying brother. That wasn’t right. She liked being the best and bragging, but maybe not when it would do this. Father always made everything harder with his lectures and expectations. Not that she’d complain to him, of course. She was the good child. But right now she’d be a good sister. 

“Come on, Zuzu,” she grabbed his hand and started tugging him along, smiling pleasantly. 

Jarred out of his upset by the sudden change of conversation, Zuko followed, “What? Where are we going?”

“We’re going to go play with my dolls,” she laughed, “The ones that still have heads. You can be the villagers and I’ll be the hero that saves you from the scary dragon, okay?”

Zuko smiled slightly; that was a game he rather enjoyed. Azula could be hard to keep up with, but he appreciated this change of pace. He had no idea she’d be actively trying to make him feel better though. 

Upon getting to her room, Azula pushed Zuko down on her bed and got an armful of not-yet-beheaded dolls from her closet to dump on his lap, “Okay, the dragon is over there by the mirror. You be the scared village women, then I’ll come in and save you,” she instructed, going over to the door to the room to make her dramatic entrance. 

Zuko smiled, lining up the dolls to be standing in his lap. Doing a different high-pitched voice for each one, he set the scene. “Oh no, what’s that sound?” he moved the first doll to indicate her speaking, “I think it’s a dragon!” he moved the second, “Oh no! What can we do?! We’ll all be eaten!” he had the third one panic, “No!” the fourth was more succinct, “Ahhh!” he finished the set with the fifth one wordlessly screaming. 

Azula sprang forward, rushing to stand on the edge of the bed and face the mirror, “Don’t worry! I’ll slay the beast!” she shouted, waving her arms around and pretend firebending, she remembered why that was a bad idea to do in bedrooms and didn’t want another lecture. 

Zuko picked the third doll, one with curly black hair and brown skin, to be the spokesperson, “Oh thank goodness! Azula is here! We’re saved!” he had her celebrate, moving her hands together as though they were clapping. 

Azula mimed out a lengthy battle with her imaginary foe, complete with shouting and jumping off the bed at points. Zuko continued commentary as the villagers, praising the brave warrior princess who had saved them all from certain doom. Eventually, after the dragon was vanquished, Azula crawled up on the bed beside him, tired from her game. 

“Let’s nap until dinner, Zuzu,” she told him, as commanding as always, and snuggled against him. 

He declined objection or comment, merely wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to her forehead before closing his eyes.


End file.
